Medically known as emesis, vomiting is a chain of events of which the end result is the forceful ejection of the stomach contents. It is one of the most common reasons cat owners take their cat to the veterinarian.

There are a number of possible causes of vomiting cats. It may be acute (sudden onset) or chronic (over a period of time). Acute vomiting is defined as vomiting which has been present for less than one week and is usually the result of a single insult to the stomach and is self-limiting, chronic vomiting lasts longer than a week, can be intermittent or persistent in nature.

The most common cause of vomiting is swallowing hair or other indigestible products (such as grass) which cause irritation to the stomach, this is known as irritative gastritis. Eating food too fast is another common reason why cats vomit. You may notice your cat race to eat his food only to vomits it back up thirty seconds later.

Vomiting can very loosely be divided into four groups.

Gastrointestinal disorders

Acute metritis - Inflammation of the lining of the uterus in cats post birth.

If possible, when you take your cat to the veterinarian, bring along a sample of the vomit. This will assist the vet to determine the underlying cause of the vomiting.

How is vomiting diagnosed?

Your veterinarian will perform a complete physical examination of your cat and obtain a medical history, including possible exposure to toxins and dietary history (including possible dietary indiscretions) any medications your cat may be on. The type of material vomited, frequency, and other clinical signs your cat is displaying can all help your veterinarian. He will also need to differentiate between vomiting, regurgitation, and coughing, all of which can be similar.

Being able to assess the vomiting will assist your veterinarian. He may ask about the type of vomiting your cat has been experiencing, such as:

Repeated vomiting - This could suggest a number of problems, such as consumption of food that has spoiled or the ingestion of a non-food item, such as grass or hairballs. It could also suggest an infectious disease.

Sporadic vomiting - This is occasional vomiting that is not related to eating. The cat vomits on and off; there may be other symptoms, such as loss of appetite, lethargy, and listlessness. Sporadic vomiting may suggest kidney or liver disease, heavy worm infestation, diabetes, or gastritis.

Vomiting blood - This could indicate a break in the intestinal lining, often caused by a foreign body. Tumours and ulcers are other causes of blood in the vomit.

Fecal vomiting - This suggests an intestinal obstruction.

Projectile vomiting - This is the forceful ejection of vomit which goes a considerable distance. It could suggest an intestinal blockage or tumour.